Just Friends
by FantasyCrisis
Summary: One day Riku was involved in a terrible accident, hit by a car, and was momentarily dead. Alone in the darkness, Riku felt one voice calling for him and bringing him back to life. Once awakened his feelings for Sora can't be denied. But will he be able to suppress them and manage to stay "Just Friends?"
1. The Voice in the Darkness

Darkness. That was all there was. No voice. No sound. Just this never ending darkness. _"How did I get here? Where is here? Am I dead? Is this it? Is my life over?" _These thoughts just reverberated off into the darkness before dissipating off into the nothingness. Finally, at the point of accepting the crushing darkness and surrendering to it; a voice pierced through the very fiber of your being. "…riku!" _"Ah who is that? It's very recognizable."_ "…Riku!" _"It seems closer. Who is that_?" "Riku!" "_I need to hear that voice again. This voice I must know who it is! I CANNOT LEAVE THIS VOICE." _"RIKU!"

A light blinded Riku as he woke with a jolt; immediately sitting upright and gasping for air for he felt every breath could be his last. His heart was racing and with every beat sweat began to bead on his skin, plastering his long silver hair (now messy) to his face and neck. Still, against his already hot skin, warm clasping hands gently attempted to push back onto the bed. _"No!"_ He mentally shouted for he could not speak with a tube down his throat keeping him alive while he was unconscious. _"They don't understand I need to find THAT VOICE!" _His senses slowly returned to him and he started to recognize smells and noises one by one. First came the undertone of bleach mingling with hand sanitizer which was swiftly overwhelmed by the scent of his favorite incense, most likely the origin of which was a blanket he recognized as his one from his apartment strewn across his legs and lap, then sounds started to return. He noticed the sounds of the city, the low whirring of the cranes lifting girders for the construction site across the street for a new hotel, then a car horn and angry shouts as an accident was nearly avoided down the block; the nearby sound of the EKG next to his bed was beeping frantically trying to keep up with his racing heart (and failing he noticed rather quickly), and finally the voices shouting at him to lay down. This span of a few seconds between him jolting upright and swiftly, but gently, being returned to the bed where he laid shaking and jerking his head as he tried to comprehend what had just happened to him.

He first saw his dear childhood friend Kairi on his left, tears flowing freely from her deep blue eyes and across her face as she cupped her hands over her mouth yet he still saw the corners of her lips turned up in a smile and heard her tinkling laugh. He turned slightly and saw Axel and Roxas near the door. Roxas, with a dumbfounded look on his face and Axel clasping his shoulders laughing and smiling like Kairi and saying something to Roxas that he couldn't quite hear yet. Finally, he looked to his right and saw his oldest and closest friend Sora. His hair was a complete mess (wasn't much of an improvement Riku noted at this point) with the light above his head creating a halo above his head and like Kairi, Sora was crying. For some reason Riku wanted to reach up and wipe those tears for they made him want to cry as well. He wanted to reach up and hug his childhood friend and comfort him. Then he noticed it. He noticed it the instant Sora opened his mouth and called him a jackass for scaring them like that. He noticed that the very voice that brought him from the darkness, the voice that he craved to hear and wanted to say his name for what seemed like an eternity but was now saying it; ringing out with perfect clarity, belonged to his best friend Sora. And all he could manage out as the tube was gingerly removed from his throat was a raspy, "You deserve it you ass, for waking me up."

In the next following hours there was a whirlwind of crying, laughing, hugging and cheers from everyone but Riku who simply responded and went along with the moment as he attempted to fight his heart with his mind, a fight his mind was sorely losing. He struggled to contain the emotions at the front of his mind which was like trying to beat the ocean back with a broom. Eventually he smothered those emotions under a blanket of urgency at trying to find out what had happened. By the time he looked up he noticed that Axel and Roxas were gone and Kairi and Sora were standing at the foot of his bed talking amongst each other. _God how gorgeous Sora's hair looks in the filtered white light of the hospital. How I wish I could just run my finge- No! That's your best friend for Christ's sake! What are you thinking?! _His thoughts ran rampant as the nearby nurse check his I.V. for what seemed like the 20th time since his awakening. With a motion from Kairi and Sora, Riku's mind leapt back just in time to see Kairi and Sora kiss goodbye and Kairi left as Sora returned to his seat to the right of him.

Riku felt his heart strangle his already cracked voice as the unfamiliar pain of jealousy racked his body. Swallowing past the lump in his throat with difficulty, he managed to turn to Sora and ask, "Now tell me, what happened? Why am I here?" Sora's usually goofy grin turned to somber visage of pain as his mind recollected the events since Riku's hospitalization. With down-turned shining eyes he asked in a low voice, "Don't you remember?" Riku replied with a laugh in a brave attempt to lighten the serious mood that claimed his small hospital room (one that caused way more pain then it was worth) and choked out, "If I knew do you think I would be asking your goofy ass? Now tell me" Sora looked up into his friend's eyes and said "Riku, you were hit by a car." All at once it returned to him. The car swerving as the driver lost control along the October roads as he was making his across the crosswalk to the small restaurant where he was to eat dinner with his friends. Time seemed to slow down in that moment and it was all he could do to breathe as the car impacted into his legs first, fracturing them, which drove him to slam into the hood of the light blue car. A quick crack to his skull followed by a numbing pain explained the bandages wrapped tightly around his head and the constant stream of pain medicines constantly being forced down his throat. As the car's frame contorted to his body, he distinctly remembered the heat of the car engine as he rolled into the windshield; attempting to use his hands to brace himself and suffered a broken wrist and several broken fingers. Continuing to roll over the car, he felt his arm being torn out its socket and muscles strain to just keep it attached but he barely felt it. At this point the pain was so overwhelming he simply felt his body being torn and thrown around like a ragdoll and as he fell on the pavement, the blood from his fresh wounds had already begun to stain his silver hair and blur his vision. As a medical student he knew that the concussion he suffered was already enough to endanger his life but coupled with his other injuries, he knew he was in danger of dying simply from shock. The last thing he could remember was someone screaming before he succumbed and fell into darkness. Riku felt his body choking back tears as his nightmares threatened to overcome him and he simply stared as his friend with emptiness reflected in his eyes before asking in a voice so low it was barely considered a whisper, "How long?" Sora quickly started talking, attempting to console him as a hand came to rest on his shoulder, "Riku its ok it doesn't matter real-" Riku quickly grabbed his friend by his collar with both hands, sending a searing pain up from his legs and reverberated through his broken hands, which he ignored along with the throbbing pain his mind caused as he frantically searched for answers, and pulled him close, inches away from his face, and asked in a low voice; nearly pleading with his dearest friend, "How long Sor? How long was I trapped in that never ending nightmare? How long?" Sora looked away and mumbled out, "4 days." At this point the pain was blinding and he could barely think, but it wasn't the pain that he was truly scared of. Normally the fact he was out for several days wouldn't bother Riku, hell he had drunken stupors that lasted longer than that after his friend Demyx's spring break parties, but this was 4 days of that darkness. 4 days of feeling that no matter what you would, could, or did do you were to spend forever trapped here. Trapped in that loneliness. His eyes glazed over as he robotically released Sora, who quickly pushed the button at his side releasing the drugs which would drag him to sleep, Riku simply returned to his spot on the hospital bed and, as exhaustion took its toll; he slowly slipped from reality.

When Riku woke his nurse and doctor were checking in on him and changing his dressings. A quick glance around told him that they were alone and once the doctor noticed him awake he made his way to his bedside. "Hey." The doctor spoke with a gentle voice that was betrayed by the unbridled concern underlying all his words. "How you feeling?" He asked then continued you say. "You gave us all quite a scare." Riku, ignoring his question, responded with a question of his own. "Hey doc, what happened to me?" With a swallowed he asked, "Everyone keeps acting like it was some miracle I even lived." With a sigh the doctor said in an understanding but serious tone, "That's because, simply put, it was a miracle." Riku simply look at the doctor with a confused look plastered on his face to which the doctor answered with a confused look of his own that quickly was replaced by a face that could only mean that Riku was in the dark about something, and Riku did not like that look. "What do you mean doc? Tell me." "Ok." The doctor replied, "But you have to remain calm." Riku simply responded with a slow nod. "While you were out," he started, "your injuries showed little to no sign of healing and they only worsened as time went on as your body slowly began to give up. A lot of us thought you weren't going to make it and for a few minutes there, you didn't. What I'm trying to say Riku," He placed a hand on Riku's shoulder, "Is that for 3 minutes and 58 seconds you were officially dead."

White, sun bleached walls surrounded the focal point of Riku's vision which was the small silver thermostat on the wall opposite from him. The TV anchorman chattered on and on about the recent uprising of a group of terrorists calling themselves Organization 13 but Riku wasn't paying much attention for he was too busy swimming through his own thoughts.

_For 3 minutes and 58 seconds I was gone_,was the thought at the foremost of his mind. _For almost 4 minutes I was no longer alive. _He had not said anything to his friends, he knew they knew and didn't want to concern them anymore about it.

Suddenly the door busted open and Sora strolled in with that long goofy stride and a huge grin plastered on his face that Riku couldn't help but smile back at. Kairi followed behind him at a more leisurely, almost measured pace. She flashed a gentle smile at Riku before setting into an expression that seemed troubled and before Riku had a chance to really notice it; she shook her head, adjusted her expression into a small smile and sat to Riku's left as Sora sat to his right.

Sora continued to hold that clueless happy grin as he spoke "Isn't it great Riku? You get to go home today." "Yeah." Riku responded with a small laugh. "Now I don't have to have you up my ass all the time." "Psh," He replied, "Don't deny it. You've loved having me up your ass." "Whatever you numbskull. It was almost as enjoyable as getting hit by a car. Almost." To which Sora responded with his usual childish method of sticking his tongue out whenever he knew he had been bested.

"So," _Kairi, always the voice of reason,_ Riku thought as she interrupted their small squabble, "When you leave the hospital where would you like to go out and eat? We will take you anywhere you wanna go." Of course Riku had already thought about this and had also already made his decision.

"I wanna go to that place by the pier," he declared determinedly, "You know, the one with the view of the beach and you can see the sunset over the cliffs and clock tower?"

A knowing Sora was shaking his head excitedly and almost starting to bounce up and down in his seat. "I know the place!" He almost shouted at the top of his lungs, "That's my favorite place."

Riku smiled as Sora and he discussed the different choices on the menu. Well that, and the enormous amounts of food that Sora was going to consume.

* * *

On the other side of Riku, the wheels in Kairi's head turned as she attempted to understand Riku's motivation for wanting to go to that place. _He hates that place. Sora doesn't know but that's where Riku and Namine broke up. And now Riku wants to go there? It doesn't make any sense._

Before she could dwell on it any further however, Riku spoke her name and she jerked her head up to look into both his and Sora's confused faces. With a quick flash of her small smile she simply diverted attention back to Riku. "I bet you can't wait to take a shower and get cleaned up."

With a small chuckle, Riku simply responded, "Yeah, these sponge baths just aren't doing it for me. I smell like Sora's old apartment."

"You didn't seem to mind when we would hang out there," Sora retorted with another smirk on his face, which in turn forced Riku to return the smile. For a minute, Kairi thought she saw something more. Just a hint of endearment as if there was something more behind that smile, but as soon as she saw it; it disappeared and was replaced with more teasing and laughs. For the first time since she and Sora started dating; she was feeling left out. Forcing back these fears of loneliness, she forced a smile and added her own teasing at Sora's expense.

* * *

Riku only wished for this to last forever. This easiness he felt with his two childhood friends. Comfortable and lax, he just wanted to smile and laugh for the rest of his days. This was impossible. Riku could barely keep himself from staring at Sora. His lips, his laugh, his damn smile, the way his voice rang out in his mind; blocking all sound; and the way the brush of his breath lingered on Riku's skin for far too long. He wanted more. He hungered for more. He bit his tongue and thought he tasted blood. He could barely see straight, let alone think straight. Just when he thought he couldn't control his thoughts any longer, the door slammed open and in walked a tall lanky redhead individual that no one could help but recognize as Axel.

The party goer always made his presence known through either his fiery attitude or his unbridled passion (or so Riku had heard). His sleek long spikes of red were streaked back and fell down to the small of his back. His green eyes reflected excitement and curiosity which flicked back and forth scanning the room, taking in the surroundings; below them two teardrop shaped tattoos. When inquired about, he simply responds with a shrug and topic change. As he stepped into the room, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his black jeans, smiled, and nodded towards the trio with a short, "Yo." A smaller figure came barreling past him only to turn towards the taller man. With anger highlighting his face, the young man swept his dark blonde hair out of his eyes, revealing the two dark blue orbs hidden beneath. He tightened his jaw and began to speak, "Dammit Axel I told you to take it easy; that Riku was still recovering. What if he had been asleep?" Axel chuckled and placed his hand on the shorter man's head, disrupting his already messy hair. "Calm down Rox he's awake and already has visitors, plus did you really think that Sora was gonna leave him alone long enough to get any rest?" With a downward look Roxas sighed, "Still you don't need to be so loud." Axel began walking past him and spoke in voice low, but still loud enough for all to hear, "Funny coming from the one who's the loudest when no one's around," causing Roxas to blush and stutter under his breath. Then speaking to the three who sat watching the whole scene unfold, "Hey Riku! How ya feeling?" "Better," Riku responded with a chuckle as he watched Roxas try to mask his embarrassment and turn to the group. "Well good to hear. We missed you on the party scene." Finally joined by his companion, Axel lazily propped himself on the smaller man's shoulder who simply looked up with malice but accepted it nonetheless. This odd pair had Riku shaking his head, Kairi placing her face in her hands, and Sora looking back and forth with the same goofy grin he always wore. Before much more could be said, the doctor inched his way into the clustered hospital room to speak to Riku. "Well everything checks out so in an hour or so we'll get you out of here."

The next hour was a blur of motion as Riku was wheeled around the hospital to X-Ray, back to his room, to an observation room where he was submitted to pokes and prods, and finally back to his room before the papers were finally signed and he was turned over to his friends. Unfortunately, Riku was confined to a wheelchair for the time being until he had made a few recovery in a few more weeks but it didn't matter much at this point. For the first time in weeks he breathed in fresh air, well as fresh as you can get in the city anyways. As Kairi and Sora pushed him along the sidewalk to the nearby parking lot, they chattered animatedly back and forth about who would be able to help Riku at his home, but he ignored them and thought instead on the realization that threatened to overcome him during the entirety of his stay at the hospital.

_I love Sora. I never saw him that way before or did I? I'll admit we've always been close but love? I've never loved anyone. My parents were never around enough except to pay for my private schooling. So what is love? How can I say I'm in love when I have never experienced it? Besides what good what it do me? Sora finally got Kairi, the girl of his dreams. Can I really come between that?_ Sora voice shattered his thoughts and sent them scattering like dust in the wind, "Ok Riku we're here." Riku suddenly begin to look around, "Wha- Where are we?" At this point Kairi turned in her seat to look at him with Sora, "Um your place, remember?" At once the surroundings began to come into focus and he realized they sat in the parking garage of his apartment complex. The small, but clean, apartment complex called Paradise Islands was a mere 10 minutes from the college Riku was attending and was also down the block from Sora's and Kairi's building. However, as its main renters comprised of college students, the building was without an elevator and therefore Riku required assistance getting up to the third floor where his apartment waited.

Sora began to crawl out of the small car and stretch rubbing his sky-blue eyes and shaking his brunette head of hair. As Riku waited for the moron he had claimed as his friend, he noticed Kairi had yet to move or even unbuckle. When Riku asked she replied through the rear-view mirror that she was going to get dinner for the three and that Sora would help him up the stairs. While Riku responded with a nodding of his head and pursing of his lips, his mind was racing. _Sora and I alone? Calm down Riku, Calm… Down. _ His door opened and he gingerly swung his legs out of the car and let them rest on the cold pavement. His friend placed his arm under Riku's and around his waist. This contact sent a mild spark of excitement shooting through his veins which he immediately suppressed and instead began to recite the parts of the human brain in his mind. _Myelencephalon, Metencephalon…_ They hit the door to the stair. _Mesencephalon, diencephalon…_ First floor passed. _Epithalamus, thala-what is that smell? Is that Sora? I've never noticed it before. _Second floor passed. Riku looked at his friend and noticed beads of sweat had begun to form on his forehead as he took most of the older man's weight. As he felt the heat crawling up his neck, he returned to his recital. _Hypothalamus, subthalamus._

They had reached the third floor and Sora's breathing had become heavy, and it was being blown directly onto Riku's neck. Riku felt his skin crawl as his mind fled to the most lewd parts of his mind. His thoughts turned to Sora and Sora's body in his arms, breathing heavy and voices cracked; crying out each other's names in the dark of the night. Before he knew it, he felt a familiar tightness in his jeans and then… The door of his apartment was opened and Sora quickly deposited Riku on his small sofa before wiping the sweat from his brow.

Riku cleared his throat before attempting to speak, "Sora can you grab me a bottle of water out of the fridge?" As Sora made his way to the small kitchen, Riku turned on his TV and attempted to clear his mind. _What the hell is wrong with me? I need to just relax it'll all pass. _Suddenly something cold was pressed against his neck and with a jolt that caused the stitches in his head to flare up to a manageable pain, he flipped his head around, his hair following suit, but what he saw made him choke back a gasp. There stood Sora, smiling as he held out a bottle to his friend. Other than his expression, however, nothing was familiar to Riku.

The brown-haired man was shirtless and flushed with exertion. Though the man had seen Sora's neck before, there was suddenly something extremely captivating about how the graceful curve led down into two perfectly defined collar bones, resting above a chiseled torso. The man's skin was tanned to perfection, but was lighter where white scars traced their way across his body, and Riku wondered at their origins before sweeping his gaze further down. Sora's hipbones framed a perfect V of muscle that disappeared into the waistband of his pants, his only article of clothing that he wore. Riku felt his breath hitch in his chest before passing off his surprise as a fit of coughs.

Suddenly Sora was there, hand on his back as he faked his coughs, bare skin brushing against Riku's arm and sending more tingles to his already fried brain. "Riku? You ok? You look like you saw a ghost." Riku once again felt that tug of desire fighting with his morals as he responded, "Yeah I'm just tired already you know how it is." With a small chuckle, "Well I've never been hit by a car so I can't say I know what you mean." Without any warning Sora pressed his forehead to Riku's own. "Hmm you feel a lil warm, but that could be from our trip up the stairs." What came after that Riku didn't hear or understand or whatever, he was just suddenly aware of how close Sora was to him. As Sora spoke his breath blew out against Riku's face and filled his nostrils. He felt Sora's sweat mingle with his own and the almost animalistic scent he secreted filled his addled brain; forcing all thoughts but one away. This was the one thought that filled his mind, body and soul; tempting, driving him towards the one situation he wanted. As his hands slowly moved to wrap around Sora, he felt his heart pounding in his ears, his breathing stop as he held his breath in anticipation, and all the while he looked at Sora who was blissfully unaware as he continue to check Riku's forehead with his eyes closed.

* * *

As Kairi made her way up the three flights of stairs to Riku's apartment after stopping by the pizza parlor down the street, her mind wandered back to the hospital. _Did I just imagine things? Riku wouldn't have fallen for Sora, would he? He was never like that before but after what happened I can't say he couldn't have changed. _As she reached his door she gave a light knock and waited as the door was opened. A sheen of sweat still lingered on the bare-chested Sora from his task of carrying Riku up the three flights of stairs and she noticed Riku sitting on the couch still flushed from being carried up the stairs. She smiled as she said, "Hope you're hungry," knowing the question was completely unnecessary as Sora was always hungry. "When is he not, the dumbass?" Riku stated reflecting her very thoughts as she bit her lip to keep from laughing at her lover's shocked face as he took a bite of pizza anyways. Riku called from the couch, "Oi, you little shit. Don't eat it all before I had any." "Don't worry Riku. I bought him his own pizza so you can actually get something to eat." She walked over and placed a pizza on the coffee table in front of Riku. As he grabbed a slice to eat, Kairi took a look around Riku's apartment.

The pine green walls were adorned with contemporary art that Riku has admitted he didn't even understand but kept them because his walls were too bare. He had numerous bookcases filled with medical book, new age philosophy and useless knickknacks that Riku just happened to find during his long walks of the streets of Twilight City. His living room was covered with plush white carpeting and the only furniture it held was a small two-seater couch, a brown coffee table, and a TV sitting on a flimsy entertainment center. _It's missing a woman's touch. _Kairi noted but this wasn't surprising considering his recent break-up. Namine and Riku had been dating seriously for 3 years and it wasn't until Riku finally proposed to her at the Seaside Resort (Sora's favorite restaurant) that Namine left him without single word.

No one knew why she left, it was obvious that she loved him to everyone around the couple but ever since then Riku seems to have little motivation to do anything but school and play on his newest purchase, a desktop. After the break-up Riku indulged himself with the most expensive desktop he could find and has been on it every waking moment he wasn't in school. Occasionally he would go out with Axel and Roxas but then would come home and get right back on. The game he seem to taken the most shine to was called League of Legends and has been furiously trying to get Sora to join him. Sora indulged him, but Kairi was extra careful in making sure to keep a leash on Sora so he wouldn't become as bad as Riku.

A flicker on the TV as channels were changed brought her attention back to the duo and speaking up to interrupt their discussion of League, she asked, "So Riku, you feeling up to going out tomorrow?" Riku shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I don't know. Maybe depends on how tonight goes. Even if it does go well I need someone to cart my ass around." Sora poked his head between the two and with a smile stated, "I'm assuming that's me." Riku pushed his face away and with a laugh said, "Well of course. We need a strong dumb animal to carry me." Sora pouted as Riku and Kairi laughed. This continued all night until the couple had to leave but not before helping Riku to bed and locking the doors.

* * *

That night Riku slept atrociously. His dreams were filled with Sora, when he closed his eyes, Sora. When he opened them his daydreams continued to taunt him with thoughts of Sora. Teasing and provoking him until finally succumbing, he was left with no choice but to satisfy the gutter he calls his brain. With trembling fingers he sought the source of heat beneath his sheets. As he reached it, his thoughts once again turned to Sora and at the realization of what he was about to it made him sick to his stomach. Forcing back his desires, he fought for the rest of the night to get some sleep. Before finally passing out at roughly three in the morning, one last thought jumped to front of his mind.

**_I need to get laid._**

* * *

**_Author's Notes_**

I do not own any of the characters or locations mentioned in this work nor do I present them as my own. The characters and works belong to their respective owners.

This is my first fanfic of any kind so I apologize for any mistakes or mishaps during the story.


	2. Waking Up

Author's Notes

* * *

HOLY. SHIT. I am so terribly sorry this chapter took so long but mid-April was hell on earth for me. I was in the process of helping my Aunt prepare for her wedding and then Finals and school and registration. asdbfashdbfjkasbdkf. Moving on, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter (probably not cause I had no beta-readers for this one :P) On that note please message me if anyone is interested in beta-reading for me. If you think you can put up with my shitty schedule, mood swings, and procrastination; inbox me your name, age, and a small bio about yourself. :P ANYWAYS. I know this chapter is shorter than the first one but I wanted to leave it off where I did. Any errors you guys find tell me and I will try to fix them when I can. Next chapter will not take as long as this one did I swear. :'( don't hate me.

* * *

Waking up, Riku expected to be greeted by the hospital room he had spent the majority of the month in, and was pleasantly surprised to find himself in his dark room. Looking at the clock next to him he saw it was close to seven in the morning. Sunlight was poking through the cracks of his thick blue curtains, as Riku laid in his queen-sized bed deliberating whether or not to attempt a trip to the bathroom across the hall. Finally, as his bladder couldn't take it anymore, he threw the covers back and swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stretch his arms above his head, yawning. He grabbed one of the two crutches that his friends left propped up against the nearby wall and slowly attempted to stand. Immediately he felt a sharp pain that, while it hurt, was tolerable and inevitable. He inched his way slowly across the gray carpeted floor, using the wall as a brace should his legs attempt to trip him up. As he reached the bathroom, he flicked the white florescent light on and set his crutch against the wall; using the sink to replace it. For the first time, in a long time, Riku saw what he had devolved into.

Sunken sea-foam eyes looked back at him as he scanned his bruised body. Normally lean, tan and muscular; days of being underused had taken its toll. He was now underweight and weak. His former tanned skin has become and pale and he gave an impression of porcelain doll, where a slight touch could break his into a million pieces. His hair, while it maintained its straight and long nature, had become greasy and was matted to his temples. There was a (mostly) white bandage that had been wrapped around his head holding even more of his greasy hair in place and upon his face sat the unfortunate site of facial hair. Knowing he couldn't take a shower under the current circumstances, he decided that he was gonna shave that unwanted visitor on his face. So he pulled out his razor and shaving cream and set to work providing himself with the closest shave he could manage on his wobbly legs. Despite nicking himself once, he was finally able to run his hands along his jaw in perfect smoothness.

_Now time for some breakfast. _

Making his way through the small apartment with one crutch proved to be a more difficult task than he originally thought, but after deciding on his favorite cereal, he settled on his couch and flipped through the channels on the TV before settling on the news; after all, he did have a lot to catch up on. Apparently there had been a string or explosions and thefts linked to the terrorist group known as Organization 13, or at least the news station called them terrorists but to Riku they seemed more like a gang disturbing the town. He finished his breakfast and set the bowl in the sink before he limped over to his desktop, settled in the chair and booted it up. As his system roared to life, it had to go through a series of updates and resets as his computer caught up with the newest software. He then started the one thing he dreaded. He started League and began the slow and tedious patching process. He reached into the mini-fridge he had set up next to his desk and pulled out a bottle of water as he browsed through the newest updates to League. Taking a brief moment to check the time, he made note that it was only 10 and Kairi and Sora were to be there in approximately the next two hours. Returning to the League news feed, he went back to reading up on changes to the champions he played and new champions that were released in his absence. Before he knew it an hour and a half had passed and a buzzing vibration from his phone informed him that a text had arrived. Picking up his phone to read it, he saw it was Sora and opened the message.

**Sora: **Hey we're leaving soon to pick you up.

**Riku: **Alright door will be unlocked just come in when ready.

After responding to Sora he hobbled his way down the hall to his room to attempt getting dressed.

_Fuck I'm terrible at picking out clothes. _Knowing that a shower was out of the question, he wanted to at least attempt to look nice but he had hit a roadblock he wasn't expecting. Finally settling on a pair of black jeans and a dark gray argyle sweater, Riku sat on the bed and began to undress down to his underwear. As he started to peel off his shirt Riku finally discovered how tender his head was and was soon left with a throbbing headache. After he looked down at his pants and realized that this was going to hurt more than he thought, he hesitated. After sitting still for a few minutes, he took a deep breath and slowly pulled his pants down. The waistband of his sweatpants went down his hips and thighs easily enough but beyond the knees was a slow painful cycle of pushing down an inch, stopping, another inch, and stopping until they finally hit the floor. Sitting still for a few more minutes he decided to handle the difficult task of putting his pants on first. His hands fumbled with the button and he bent over to fit his feet and ankles into the dark denim. As he slowly tugged on the pants to pull them up, he stood to have an easier time heaving the pants on. Right when he hit the site of his leg injuries, the door to his apartment was slammed open, astounding Riku and forcing him to fall forward to the floor with a heavy crash.

"Riku? Are you ok?"

Hearing his friend Sora calling him forced Riku to rethink his current position and attempt to adjust himself. Before he could even act on it, however, the door to his bedroom was pushed open and there he stood. Sora, wearing a dark red button-up shirt coupled with a black silk vest overlapping his blue jeans, stood there taking in Riku's weak form; sizing up the situation as Riku's face was attempting to mimic the color of Sora's shirt. After a long silence between the duo, Sora cupped his hand to his mouth to stifle a loud laugh which instead came out as a strained snort. Footsteps down the hall told the pair that Kairi was coming to see what had happened when Sora held up a hand to stop her just out of Riku's sight and, still attempting to stop his outburst, explained the situation.

"He-he fell but seems ok. Just give us a few, I'll help him get finished."

Riku refused to move and was trying to control the color boiling under his skin as Sora closed the door and help Riku back to a sitting position on the bed.

"Why didn't you just ask for help you moron?"

"Cause I didn't need it from the world's walking weapon of mass destruction."

"Ouch, that hurt but then again I wasn't on the floor just a few seconds ago."

"Just help me." As Sora got on his knees to pull up Riku's pants, Riku was suddenly aware of how naked he actually was.

Sora, being completely oblivious as he usually was, simply looked up with those gorgeous fucking unfair blue eyes of his and spoke to him. Riku, too lost in the younger man's eyes, shook his head and looked at Sora with a confused look in his eyes.

"I said, this might hurt a bit so I'm sorry."

"Sorry was off in my own world there for a minute."

Sora slowly pulled up the jeans to avoid pain but Riku didn't even notice he was holding his breath, let alone the pain. He was too busy attempting to control his thoughts to avoid 'something' from coming up. Before he knew it, the pants were at his knees and Sora was standing up.

"There. You got it from there right?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

"No problem," Sora mumbled back as he bent to pick up Riku's sweater from the floor where it had fallen when Riku suffered a lost battle with gravity.

Sora left Riku alone to finish getting ready and Riku finished putting his sweater on, combed his hair in a brief attempt to fix his messy hair, slipped on his shoes, and hobbled to join his friends in his living room.

Sora was propped up against the back of the couch and had his head turned to Kairi, who was sitting down. Upon noticing Riku's presence, Sora pushed himself to standing position and with a huge grin on his face began to poke fun at the crippled man.

"Did you have a nice trip?"

"Oh shut up, you little shit." Riku retorted in perfect timing. Heavens be damned if he was going to let Sora, of all people, make fun of Riku's temporary clumsiness.

"Now boys, I'd like to get to restaurant before we start acting like drunken idiots."

And with that the trio began to make the trip downstairs, Riku still used Sora as support but the trip down the stairs proved much easier than the trip up. In the car, Riku sat silently as he looked out the window; blocking out the two talking in the front seat about some new band on the up and coming; as he flashbacked about the last time he was at the Seaside Resort.

It was a bright autumn day, the kind where the leaves had just begun to change colors and the wind had a small nip of the coming chill. _The perfect day for the perfect moment_. He had invited everyone he knew to the restaurant to share the moment. He was confident, cool, and completely in love. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with this woman and he felt positive she wanted the same. Looking back, he should've saw the signs. Every time Riku spoke of a future, her gaze would turn somber and she would simply agree and change the subject. Riku, far too happy with his own thoughts, ignored her reactions, but now that his happiness was gone and he could see everything. _Naminé._ He remembered the day like it was yesterday. Surrounded by his friends and his lover at his side, he had gotten down on one knee and asked the most important question of his life. Her reaction was the last thing he expected. She started crying out of nowhere and screamed at him asking him why. He couldn't respond, he felt the pain in her words mix and mingle with his own as she just left without another word.

The months following were the hardest of Riku's life. Feelings of abandonment and loneliness were as stagnant as the stench swirling around his apartment. While his grades did not suffer, he was not truly passionate about his classes as he used to be. During his free time he was obsessed with his desktop; perfecting his abilities in the competitive battlefield of League of Legends. Sora spend time playing with Riku but he was never as devoted as Riku was. They formed the elite duo that was soon dominating the top ranks of League. There was never a word whispered about Riku's lost companion. They say that time heals all wounds but for Riku; he only learnt to cope with it.

The car engine being shut off brought Riku back to reality as the pair in front got out of the vehicle. Riku followed behind using his pair of crutches to stand and walk with his friends to the door. As they walked Riku looked out over the nearby ocean where a small sailboat was off in the distance, cutting a path through the choppy ocean waves upon which had surfers trying to master each wave and claim as their own. The sun had begun its descent to the horizon, but the breeze over the ocean brought a chill which cut through the thin fabric of Riku's shirt and made him shiver. The pavement below had grains of sand that the wind brought with it along with the briny scent of the ocean.

_All in all a gorgeous day. _Riku thought as they reached the door to the restaurant.

Upon entering the red and brown restaurant, the trio's senses were quickly assaulted by the scent of fresh crab and shrimp. The salty scent lingered in their nostrils, filled their lungs, and soon had the boys salivating. The salty tinged their tongues and mingled with the bitter taste of an abundance of wine being poured at multiple tables as the host smiled and stood ready to seat them. As the group navigated their way through the dim restaurant towards a small round table near the back corner of the restaurant, Riku took in his surroundings. It was dark, as all of the "fancy" restaurants were. The quiet conversation was coupled with a soft piano accompanied by a lead violin playing a soft melody through the hidden speakers throughout the dining area only to be broken by a sudden laugh or clatter of silverware against empty plates. The walls and ceiling were painted a dark red with white trimming along the edges; balanced with white and red checkered curtains outlying the shaded windows. The carpet was a plush black, or at least it used to be but years of use had begun to take its toll by meshing the carpet flat. Upon arriving at the round table with the design of a ship's wheel, Riku took his seat in the cool red velvet with his back against the wall.

The waiter introduced himself as Marluxia and was a tall, handsome man with bright pink hair that contrasted harshly with the dark background. Sora quickly asked the man for a bottle of champagne then returned his gaze to the menu as Kairi added on a glass of water with lemon.

Looking at the menu, Riku's eyes adjusted to the dim lighting as he attempted to decipher the neat menu whose text only reflected the expensive meals listed in professional, cursive writing. With a deep sigh, Riku looked to the appetizers attempting to find something that was both satisfying and appealing to his tastes at the same time.

After many minutes of relative silence as the three deliberated over the elaborate menu, Marluxia returned with three glasses and a bottle placed in a metal bucket filled with ice. With a loud pop, he uncorked the bottle and went around to the three and poured glasses for each before asking if they were ready to order.

Sora went first, ordering what sounded like an elaborate cuisine involving crab legs, shrimp cocktail, and sea salted potato wedges. Kairi, after wiping the smirk of amusement from her face, ordered a basic shrimp salad with lemon vinaigrette. Finally, Riku ordered a bowl of the restaurant's specialty clam chowder, with toast points on the side.

The waiter wrote down the order and briskly walked to the kitchen to inform the chefs of the new order. After he left, the three began some easy conversation that seemed to dissipate into the elegant atmosphere that surrounded them. After a half of bottle of the (over-priced in Riku's opinion) champagne, the food arrived, steaming and filling their nostrils and lungs with the warm scent that sent the feeling of hunger reverberating throughout their body.

As Riku evaluated his food, he looked up to see Sora already ravenously attacking his three plates of food and even Kairi had begun her calm measured pace of eating, sampling each bite with her eyes closed before washing it down with a small sip from her glass. _How do such different people attract each other? Why can't it be me? Do I not deserve happiness? _ He quickly dispelled such thoughts by finishing off his drink and pouring another and taking a large swig of that one, closing his eyes and allowing the bubbles to singe his nose and front lobe of his brain. He opened his eyes and saw the pair looking at him, Kairi with a napkin covering her mouth to hide a smirk while Sora looked at him with his arms crossed and a look of pure amusement planted firmly on his face.

"What?" Riku asked with a bewildered look on his face which was quickly met with a lively laugh from Sora that seemed to shatter the quiet restaurant atmosphere and caused Kairi to blush and shy away as all eyes turned to their table. Sora, either not noticing or not caring, continued to laugh until he wiped his eyes and managed to calm himself enough to respond to Riku.

"We were just worrying over how sick you were but it's nice to see your love of alcohol has gone and died."

"Oh shut up you lil shit. You aren't much better than me." Riku responded as he leaned over to top off Sora's glass.

"Yeah you got me there. I guess some things never change but when they do, they change in extreme ways." Sora took a large gulp before returning to the remaining half of his meal but this time moving with hesitation; the only indication of his stomach slowly becoming full.

Though Sora had the larger meal out of the three sitting at the table, the three finished eating at roughly the same time and as Marluxia returned to take the dirty dishes away and offer the party dessert, Sora and Riku instead requested a bottle of the pair's favorite wine. Kairi, being the designated driver instead asked for a bowl of sea salt ice cream which enticed the other two into wanting the same thing. It didn't take long before the three were enjoying delectable sea foam colored ice cream in black bowls with red wine served in tall glasses.

Riku was about to take a bite of ice cream before he looked up and saw a look of paralyzed fear plastered on Sora's face. It was rare to see Sora like this so Riku looked to Kairi to see an almost mirrored look on her face as well. A scent filled his nostrils and revitalized his memory, immediately making his eyes water to the scent of lilacs blowing in a summer breeze. He began to follow the pair's gaze as he attempted to place that scent that shot through his entire being and made it tense and shake in a twisted nostalgic dance. It was right as he looked across the restaurant that the scent clicked with the pair of azure eyes that shone back like burning sapphires. His breathing became choked in his throat and caused him to gasp and swallow audibly as his thoughts race his heartbeat pounding in his ears. He wasn't sure how he must look but the look on the face he was staring at must have been some indication as the female's features were locked into an expression of pure shock and awe. She bit her thin pinkish lip as she always would when in deep thought and a lock of her silky silver hair fell perfectly in the middle of her flawless face before it quickly was brushed back into place by a pale slender hand that matched her frame.

_Why? Why her? Why now? Everything had just became bearable. _She stood up. She walked towards him. Time stood still until she was stand in front of Riku who hadn't dared to move a muscle.

"Hi Riku," The woman said in her quiet voice that resounded with years of wisdom that was beyond all of them.

With another loud swallow, Riku willed his voice forward in a shaky voice.

"Hi….. Naminé."

With what was obviously a forced smile, Naminé made attempts at dispelling the awkward conversation, "How have you been?"

"I've been fine." Riku was answering on autopilot as he attempted to control his thoughts and emotions. He was detached and distant, his mind reeling at the torrent crashing at the edges of his psyche. The very fiber of his being wanted to crack and shatter, sending the pain and loneliness scattered into the wind.

Naminé turned her attention to the other two at the table making polite conversation as Riku fought his hidden battle to maintain control. He could no longer hear the words spoken but could see Sora and Kairi often look at him, concern carved into their faces. He maintained a stoic visage but inside a hurricane torn at the tendrils of his brain. It wasn't until his name was spoken that he snapped back to reality with a jolt like lightning.

"It's been good to see you Riku, but I can see there hasn't been any progress." Riku could only respond with a blank stare as he attempted to comprehend what she had meant.

"Wha-What do you mean? Why?"

Covering her soft smile with her hand she simply replied as a tear began to form in her eye, "You'll see when the time is right but for not just don't give up on those you love."

With that final riddle muddling around in Riku's exhausted brain, she left the restaurant. Time began to slow as Riku stared at a blank wall. He felt anger bubbling up and threatening to overflow. Finally he snapped as soon as the door to restaurant closed behind her.

He jolted up, knocking over the chair and shoved his hand violently into his pocket, drawing out his wallet. His hands shook as he saw red in the corner of his eyes and tears brimmed and flowed out of the corner of his eyes. In frustration and miserable inability, he threw the wallet and all its contents on the table, knocking over glasses and sending the spoon from his bowl flying to the floor. He snatched the crutches up and began fumbling to the door as the people in front of him scrambled to get out of his way. He could hear Sora calling his name but he didn't care at this moment, he wanted to be out of this suffocating atmosphere, he wanted to run and never look back.

As he shoved the door open and stepped outside he immediately fell to the sidewalk and gasped for air. His chest felt tight and he couldn't see straight. The tips of his ears felt on fire and rang with invisible noise as he forced air into his aching lungs. His brain throbbed in his skull as he attempted to control his thoughts, digging his fists into the hard pavement.

In an instant he felt firm lean arms around him and he instinctively wrapped his arm around the supporting shoulder. He was gently placed in the passenger seat and buckled in. As the older car roared to life, the last thing he remember was the radio playing a familiar tune that he couldn't place and the younger man humming Riku softly to sleep.


End file.
